Raped Teenager Receives 101 Lashes For Becoming Pregnant

According to Bangladesh's Daily Star, a 16 year old girl was punished with 101 lashes for becoming pregnant with her rapists child.

The victim was raped 8 months ago by a man who regularly eve-teased her on her way to school. She knew who her attacker was but was too ashamed to report him. She was married off soon after the attack but a month into the marriage it was revealed that she was seven months pregnant and her husband quickly divorced her. Upon returning to her father's house, the local elders were informed of the situation and decided that she should be punished by 101 lashes fatwa (religious edict). Her father was also charged a fine that he had to pay or someone else in his family would receive a lashing. The accused attacker received no punishment or even an investigation.

This is a situation that makes me wonder how people can believe in post-feminism. This is blatant sexism. Not to mention extreme injustice. What did she do wrong that she should be punished for? Having sex out of wedlock? Because that was her fault? Sounds to me like she's being punished for having a functioning womb that fertilized her attackers seed?

Isn't the rape and the unwanted pregnancy enough punishment? Even if they feel like it was her fault, 101 lashes?! The article said that she passed out during the lashing and did not regain consciousness for 2 hours.

And what about her attacker? Apparently because she didn't file a formal complaint, they aren't going to pursue this guy. Did anyone file a complaint about her? If she's being lashed for being a slut he should be lashed for being a terrible person.

Not only did her attacker cause her suffering from her punishment, but he has ruined her entire life. He ruined her marriage and any other future chances at marriage she had, not to mention her emotional state. This poor girl "just wants justice" but is being punished for both getting raped in the first place and keeping her mouth shut.

Fortunately, there is a human rights advocate group that allows victims to file separate cases against their attackers outside of their local governments. Hopefully, this will bring some justice but justice can only do so much for this girl after she has already lost so much.

photo courtesy of oomo via flickr

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